Ampoule neck cutter



April 11, 1950 J. D. SIRICA 2,503,517

AMPOULE NECK CUTTER Filed Sept. 14, 1946 INVENTOR. JOHN D. SIR/CH H T TRNE Y Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITE D S TATES JPAT EN T F F I CE AMPOULENECK CUTTER John D. Sirica, Waterbury, Gonn.

Application September 14, 1946, Serial No. 697,111

-6 Claims.

This invention vrelates :to glass tube cutters,

riesa v -shaped cutting edge which will scratch or score a singleuniform circular line on said neck when said holding device is twisted.

One object of the present invention-is to pro vide an ampule cutter ofthe above nature which will fit ampule necks .of any common size, andwhich is compact in construction so that it may be readily carried inthe pocket.

A further object'is toprovide an ampule cutter or the above nature whichis provided with a cutting element of tungstencarbide, or other hardlong-wearing material, and in which no guiding tube is necessary forsteadyingthe neck of the ampule during the scratching operation.

A further object is to provide a device of the above nature which willavoid the use of saws or files for scratching the neck of the ampulewhich were apt to cause splinters when the tip was broken off from theampule, which will be simple in construction, inexpensive tomanufacture, easy to install and manipulate, ornamental in appearance,and very efficient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, there has been illustrated on theaccompanying drawing i shaped ampule cutter with its jaws shown in 00normal open position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, showing in dotted lines theposition of an ampule while the neck is being scratched, preparatory tobreaking oil the tip of the ampule.

Fig. 3 is a front view, showing in full lines the jaws in open position,in dotted lines the closed position of said jaws, and in dot and dashlines the intermediate position of the cutter holder when twistedhalfway around the ampule during the scratching operation.

Fig. 4 is a side view, partly in section of the ampule cutter holdershown in closed position, with the jaws engaging the neck of the ampuleindicated in dotted lines.

Referring now to the drawing in which like reference characters denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral l0indicates a U-shaped holder, preferably formed from a flat strip ofresilient plastic material. The

:holder =10 comprises a short base 'slzl having a pair "ofdivergingsides l2, l3, and a pairof .inturned aligned end jaws l4, 1:5.The jaws I14, 15 have :Ihorizontal edges 1| 6, l l, which are provided,respectively, with 'V-shaped central sections l8, H). The edge it of thejawil'4is rounded'to insure a single line contact with the ampule neck,and thus to obtain asing'le circular cut.

In order to provide .a scratching element-for the ampule cutter,:provisionis made 'IOf'3.SI1bstantial'ly semi-circular plate'20ofilong-wearing hard material, preferably of :sintered carbide, havingiaround lower base 12],:and a 'V-shaped npperifrecess 22 provided withbevelied'edges '23 on one side thereof. The plate 20 is embedded inarecess 23a-formedin the center of the cutting :j-aw i=5'below theV-es'ection lfi'thereoi.

It will be understood that any other-cutting material maybe employedsuch as hard steel, carbaloy, tungsten carbide, double carbide oftungsten, tantalum, and boron carbide, and that any desired angle lessthan degrees may be employed for the recess 22,

The numeral 24 indicates the body of an ampule, and the numeral 25 thetapered tip thereof. The body 24 has a reduced concave annular neck 26which is adapted to be engaged by the sharp bevelled scratching edge ofthe V-shaped cutting plate 20 when the holder I0 is twisted 360 degreesaround said neck 26.

Operation In operation, when it is desired to scratch or score acircular line around the neck of an ampule 24 preparatory to breakingoff the tip 25 thereof, it will merely be necessary to insert the ampuleneck 26 between the jaws l4, l5, in the position shown in Figs. 2, 3,and 4 of the drawing. The holder ID will then be twisted one full turnaround the neck 26, while the jaws I4, [5 are pressed inwardly tightlyagainst said neck. The tip 25 may then be easily broken 01f from thebody 24 of the ampule, smoothly, and without causing splinters or smallparticles of glass.

One advantage of the present invention is that by the elimination ofglass splinters by the smooth scratching of the ampule neck, there willbe no possibility of cutting the hands of the operator or contaminatingthe liquid contained in the ampule.

A further advantage is that a uniform line will be scratched on the neckof the ampule, which could not be done with the pointed cutters, filesor saws previously used.

It will also be understood that in the use of the improved ampulecutter, the trailing side of the V-shaped cutting edge will ride in thegroove cut by the leading side, and will deepen the cut made thereby, sothat only a single line will be scratched in the neck of the ampule eventhough the cutting element might be mounted in an in clined position inthe cutting jaw.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in whichthe invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form isshown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention isnot to be limited to the specific disclosure, but may be modified andembodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. Inshort, the invention includes all the modifications and embodimentscoming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I is claimed as new, andfor which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device for scratching a uniform single circular line around thecircumference of the neck of an ampule preparatory to breaking oil thetip of said ampule, a substantially U-shaped holder of resilient plasticmaterial adapted to be grasped by one hand, and having inturned spacedjaws at the open end thereof, the ends of said jaws having neck-engagingrecesses, one of said recesses carrying a V-shaped sharp edged cuttingelement to scratch said neck when the holder is being rotated, the otherof said recesses having a rounded edge.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which said V-shaped cuttingelement consists of sintered carbide.

3. The invention defined in claim 1, in which said holder has sideswhich are initially diverging toward said jaws.

4. The invention defined in claim 1, in which 4 said cutting element hasa rounded lower base embedded in the cutting jaws of said holder.

5. In a device for scoring a uniform circular line around thecircumference of the neck of an ampule preparatory to breaking ofi thetip thereof, a substantially U-shaped holder having inturned spaced jawsat the open end thereof, one of said jaws having a V-shaped sharp edgedcutting element to score said neck when the holder is rotated, the otherjaw having a rounded horizontal edge to produce a line contact with saidneck and thus hold the ampule in alignment during the scoring operation.

6. In a device for scoring a uniform circular line around thecircumference of the neck of an ampule preparatory to breaking 011 thetip thereof, a substantially U-shaped holder having inturned spaced jawsat the open end thereof, one of said jaws having a V-shaped sharp edgedcutting element to score said neck when the holder is rotated, the otherjaw having a rounded horizontal edge and also having a V-shaped centralrecess to produce a line contact with said neck and thus hold the ampulein alignment during the scoring operation.

JOHN D. SIRICA.

Cemented Carbides Used For Other Purposes Than Cutting Tools, inMachinery, August 1946, pages 150-156.

Number

